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Green Up

In March, the EPA issued a draft rule to create a national GHG registry. Basically, the EPA proposes that suppliers of fossil fuels or industrial greenhouse gases, manufacturers of vehicles and engines, and facilities that emit 25,000 metric tons or more per year of GHG emissions submit annual reports to EPA.

The proposed EPA rule will apply to U.S. facilities that produce more than 25,000 tons per year of the six leading greenhouse gases, an estimated 13,000 facilities that account for 85-90 percent of total U.S. emissions.

This is a positive move, because in order to manage green house gas emissions effectively, we must measure all sources. However, we need to do more than just collect data. U.S. power plants have been collecting similar data since 1996 and even though the data is “public information,” it’s difficult to access and use this data. 

But don’t jump on the U.S. government, because emissions data isn’t readily availble: EU’s Emissions Trading System has given birth to an entirely new industry that exists just to make sense of data from GHG emissions reporting .

In order for the U.S. to contribute to the lowering GHG emissions world wide, we must have reliable statistics from all sources. The power sector,  accounts for roughly 25% of all emissions worldwide.

However, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, verified up-to-date information on where the emissions come from will be crucial, not only for the power sector but also for industrial processes (cement plants are a major source), land use change (both deforestation and agriculture), livestock, transportation and commercial and residential buildings.

Once reliable inventories are in place, companies can “green up” with valuable business & eco – stratgeies that include: Green Technologies, sustainability planning, process improvements and carbon offset purchases.

The companies that voluntarily develop plans to reduce their carbon footprint , before compliance is mandatory, will find themselves ahead of the game. GHG market experience will help these innovative companies gain invaluable experience, process advantages, and a competitive edge versus those companies that wait.

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